Apparatus for use in inspecting tires



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APPARATUS FOR USE ININSPECTING TI-RES hm@ 29 9 W, 1,590,639

E. H. MARSH, JR

APPARATUS FOR USE 1N msPEcTmG TIRES Filed April 23. 1924 4 sheeta-sheet/z- IZV/ INVENTOR.

ad /MWW gy June 29 1926. 1,590,639 A i E. H. MARSH, JR f APPARATUS FOR4 USE 1N INSPECTING TIRES 4 Sheets-Sheet INVNTOR June 29,1926. 1,590,939.

E. H. MARSH, JR

APPARATUS FOR USE IN INSPECTING TIRES Filed April 23, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ToRNEY.

Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED uSTATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. MARSH, JB., OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 THE FISK RUBBER COMPANY, OF CHICOIEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0 MASSACHUSETTS.

' APPARATUS FOR -USIlIN INSPECTING TIRES.

Application filed April 23, 1924. Serial No. 708,477.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use in the manufacture of automobile tires. It has for its object the provision of an apparatus which is an -improvement in the handling of tires in the inspecting, stenciling, and wrapping operations. A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of this character wherein acontinuous line of tire casings, after passing through the rst side inspection, may be automatically tipped into a position so the second side may be inspected. A still fur- Ither object of the invention is to provide means for automatically tipping tire casings from a slanting position on one conveyor to a horizontal position on a second conveyor. The articulars in economy, speed, and reliablity with which the tires maybe han-v dled, and various other features of the in# vention, -will be described in the followin description and claims.

Fig. 1 is a partial diagrammatic plan of the apparatus used in carrying out certain features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial diagrammatic pl'an showing that part of the apparatus not shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective showingthestenciling of a tire; FFig. 4 is a section taken on line 4--4 of Fig is a plan view of the means used in tipping the tires from one side to the other to permit the inspection of both sides, and also showin a tire which has traveled part way throug the tipping apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a perspective showing the painting of the inside cfa tire 5 Fig. 7 is a partial side view of the inspection conveyor;

Fig. 8 is a view taken from thelet of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing a slight modification in theconstruction. I

The invention consistsV in the construction and combination of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

The conveyors used in the conveyor system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are preferably constructed of belts 10 passing over pulleys 11 (Figs. 7 and 8) located at the ends ofthe conveyors and supported at intermediate points bythe rolls 13 (Figs. 4, 6, 7, and 8). The rolls 13 are arranged near enough together to prevent sagging of the conveyor belts.- The frame 16 on which the pulleys 11 and supporting rolls 13 of the conveyor m (Figs. 1, 2, and 4) are mounted also supports vside guards 17. Portions 18 (Fig. 4)

of the side guards 17 project over the edges of the belt of the conveyor m to prevent the tires from sliding off the conveyor belt. The driving mechanism for the conveyors, represented by the square 19, may consist of successive pairs of gears transmitting motion from the motor to the shaft which supports the pulley to be driven, or of some other suitable means of transmitting motion.

The tires are placed on the conveyor n as they c ome from the heaters, so that at times a continuous'line of tires' are passing through the various inspecting operations.

The tread portion of the tires is inspected by the tread inspectors 20. The inside of the tires are painted by the painting machines 21 and as fast as the tires are painted they are pushed out of the painting machines onto the conveyor o `by the painting machine operators 22 (Fig. 6). As the tires pass operator 2 6 he trims the beads of the tires that need trimming. v

`Tires that have been rejected because of dirty sidewalls are cleanedin the cleaning machine 23 by the operator 24 and placed on conveyor o. Over conveyor o is the gate 27 which pushes the tires onto the cross coni veyor 1- that carries the tires across to the conveyor .s which travels in the opposite direction to conveyorgo. Where the tires are transferred from one conveyor to another, as .from conveyor`0rtoconveyorwror from conveyorr to conveyor s, a guide 28 is used to position the tires on the conveyor to which .the tires 'are being transferred.

As the tires reach the end of conveyor s -`the operator 29 transfers the tires to the conveyor fm.. Operator 29 places the tires on the conveyor m so that they lean-against the vertical rolls 30 mounted between the supporting members 31 and 32 (Figs. 3 and 4). The rolls 30 may be mounted on roller bearings to permit them to rotate freely. On the-belt of the conveyor m are cleats 33 (Fig. 5) to prevent the tires from rolling backwards due to any dragging or pulling that the rolls 30 or guards'17 may ha've on the tires.

The placing of the tires in a slantingv or leaning position (Fig. 4) on conveyor m permits them to be readily inspected as they pass through the various inspection operations. The sidewalls are inspected as they pass operator 34, the beads of the tire are inspected as they pass operator 35, and the sidewalls and beads are re-inspected by operator 36 and placed in position so the trademarks can be stenciled as they pass operator 37.. This completes the inspection of one side ofthe tire. On completing the l inspection on one side of the tires vthey are tipped into position by the tipping device 40 `so the opposite side of lthe tires may be inspected. The tipping .apparatus 40 preferably is of similar construction to the upper portion of the conveyor (Fig. 5). It is positioned so as to partly close the space between the upper sections 41 'and 42, ex-

j tending diagonally over the conveyor belt 10 at approximately the same height as the upper section 41. The tipping apparatus consists of the rolls supported between.. the supporting members 31 and 32 which are preferably the same las those shown in Figs. 4 and 7, although they may consist of a belt similar to belt 48 made to travel in the same direction as the tires are traveling and extending diagonally over the conveyor far enough to cause the tires to be tipped from a leaning position against the supporting means 4l to an upright position, and-then by still further tipping action of the apparatus 40 lthe tires are tipped over far enough to allow gravity to carrythem over against the rolls 30 of the supporting means 42, where the tires are now in position to have the opposite sides inspecte The tires are transferred from conveyor Am onto a conveyor p which is at right angles to conveyor m.. For the purpose ofrotating the tires in the transfer a belt 48` ispreferably substituted'for the rolls 3() ofthe supporting means 42 after the tires pass the operator 47. As the tires pass operators 45'and 46 the sidewalls and beads are inspected, and if necessary they position the tires forthe stenciling which is done by operator 47 (Fig. 3).

The belt 48 passes over pulleys 49 and 50 f and 58.

with pulley 49 on the shaft 51 which may be driven by any suitable means. Instead of being entirely carried along by. the belt of conveyor m and sliding over the rolls 30 ofthe supporting means42, the tires will turn or roll in the direction indicated in Fig. 7because the belt 48 is travelingiinthe same direction and at a higher rate of speed than-the belt ofthe conveyor m. -If the belt 48 is traveling at the same speed as the tires on the belt of conveyor mtheywll not turn or rotate until they have left the belt of the conveyor and are on the rolls 52 which bridge the space between conveyor m and conveyor p. Y

Whe-n a tire leaves the belt of conveyor m itgrolls over the rolls 52 onto conveyor p. -y As the tire rolls onto the belt of conveyor p itwill be carried in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 8), and at the same time -co11-4 tinue to roll until it has reachedl about the middle of the conveyor belt, and by this time the bottom of the tire has been carried under the belt 48 far enough to'stop the tire from being rotated by the belt. The tire stops rotating when it has been brought into a vertical position or a little past the vertical, for the tire has then moved away from the belt 48. As the tire is carried on by the belt of the conveyor p -it will tip over onto the belt of the conveyor p (Fig. 8)'. The` .'tire may also be rolled onto conveyor p by rolling it down an inclined4 plane.

All tires which are' not to be wrapped pass l under the gate 53 and onto the 'conveyor t. Any tires to be wrapped are pushed oil' conveyor p onto conveyor :a by dropping the alsV gate 53. As the tires pass operators 54 and- 55 the flaps and stickers are placed inside the tires. The tires are wrapped in the wrapping machines 56 by the operators 57 The tires are tied in bundles by operators 59 and placed on conveyor t whichcarries them to the shipping room with the unwrapped tires.

Havlng thus described my claim:`

invention, I

1. In an apparatus of the class described,

two conveyors at right angles to each other, y 4means adjacent one conveyor for, supporting annular -articles in a slanting' osit1on, sai r supporting means extending conveyor over the second conveyor, and

means for rolling thearticles onto thev sec- 1'2-0 2. In an apparatus of the class described,l 'I

ond conveyor.

eyond said two conveyors at right angles to each other, a

means adjacent one conveyor for supportin annular articles 1n a slantmg position, sai

3. Inan apparatusof the class described,.

supporting means extending beyond the con- 125 two conve ors substantially at right'angles to each ot er, means adjacent one conveyor :for supporting annular articles ina slantng position, said supporting means extending eyond said conve or over the Ysecond conveyor, means provi ed for rolling the articles onto the second conveyor by said supportin means, and the second conveyor and sai supporting means acting to ether to tip over the article into a horizonte. position on the secondconveyor. y

4. In an a paratus of the class described, a conveyor or supporting an annular article in a slanting position, and means for automatically reversing the slant of said article at a predetermined point in the. travel of the conveyor.A

5. VIn an apparatus of the class described,

a `conveyor for handling articles, means for supporting the articleson the conveyor in a" slanting position on one side,'me'ans for antomatically reversing the slant, and means for supporting said articles in a slanting position on t e veyor.

'6. In an apparatus of the class described, aconve or means for supporting an article when ti tedto one side, means :for supportin the article when tilted to the opposite si e of the conveyor, and means `for automatically tilting said article from one supporting means to the other.`

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyor, means adjacent said conveyor for supporting annular articles in a slantlng position, means whereby saidarticles pivot upon the conveyor and aremoved transversely from supporting means-.on one side of the conveyor to the supporting means on theopposite side of theconveyor into aV slanting position.

A EDWARD n. Manen, Jn.

opposite sidev of thecon- 

